Automobile number-plate holder



B. F. FENDERSON.

AUTOMOBILE NUMBER PLATE HOLDER.

APPLICATION FILED 0120.9.1920.

1,371,674. P11611161 Mar. 15, 1921.

STATES PATENT OFFECE.

BENJAMIN F. FENDERSON', OF HAVEBHILIQ, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOE OF ONE-HALF TO ARTHUR W. BRADLEY, OF HAVERHILL, MASSACHUSETTS.

AUTOMOBILE NUMBER-PLATE HOLDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 15, 1921.

Application filed December 9, 1920. Serial No. 429,357.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN F. FEN- DERSON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Haverhill, county of Essex, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Automobile N umber-Plate Holders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention particularly relates to a form of number plate holder for automobiles which is especially designed for holding the plate at the rear end thereof, and has for its object to provide a device for this purpose which will combine the usual red taillight with means for effectively illuminating the figures of the number plate With the same illuminating. means as that which is employed for the red light.

Another object of the invention is to provide a form of holder which is readil adaptable to standard number plates of di ferent lengths.

I accomplish these objects by. providing the form of number plate holder illustrated in the accompanying'drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevatiop of a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is longitudinal sectional View of one end portion, at line 22 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 3 is a cross section at line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section at line l4' of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is. a detail perspective View of one of the end sections.

According to my invention I provide a sheetmetal casing 1, of flat, oblong form, except that it is extended upwardly at the middle portion of its upper edge'to provide an extension chamber 2, the upper edge of which is rounded and reversely curved from the middle downward at each end, so that it extends continuously with the upper edge of the main portion of the casin A circular opening, in which a red g ass closure 3 is set, is formed in the middle of thefchamher 2, and an electric light'socket' 4 is mounted in the rear wall 5, somewhat below the middle of the glass 3, so that the lamp 6, inserted therein, will illuminate the same sutficiently. The entire rear wall 5 is covered with reflecting substance, such as aluminum paint. The lamp 6 is arranged so that it will illuminate this surface, which latter will reflect the light forwardly.

The height of the main portion of the cas1ng, or the distance between upper and lower sides, corresponds to the width of a standard number plate, so that such a plate, as 7, may be inserted therebetween. The front side of the casing is open, except that an upwardly extending flange 8 is provided at the bottom and the front wall of the chamber 2 is extended down, at 9, beyond the upper side, to provide engaging means for the edge portions of the plate, when inserted in the casing. End sections 10 and 11 are adapted 'to telescopically fit within the. opposite ends of the casing, to provide casing end walls and continuations of the rear, top and bottom walls thereof, and re taining flanges 12 are provided on the inner sides of said end sections, at a distance from the front upper and lower flanges 13, thereof, sufficient to provide grooves adapted to receive the edge-portions of the number plate.

In practice the standard number plates of any State vary according to the number into a pesition in which the middle thereof is directly beneath the red-glass 3, and its outer surface, at its edges, is pressed against the inner sides of the front flanges 8 and 9. he end sections are then slid into the ends of the casing, so that the ends of the nun'eber plate will be passed into the grooves formed between the front flanges 13 and retaining flanges 12, and the end walls of the sections will be brought into engagement with the ends of the plate.

The end sections are then secured in the position to which they have been adjusted, so that the number plate will be securely held in the middle position with relation to the main portion 0 the casing in which it was placed. Various meansffor securing end sections, arranged according to the various standard lengths of-the number plates, so that, in each position of adjustment, the end sections will be held against the ends of the corres onding plate. r

The light rom the lamp 6 is thrown directly or reflected down between the number plate and the rear walls of the main and end sections, so that the entire surfaces thereof will be practicallyuniformly illuminated.

As the number plates are opaque, in order that the numerals thereon may be made plainly visible at night, small apertures 7 are punchedthrough the plate at short intervals about each number, so that the light may be reflected through them, or so that the illuminated reflecting surface of the rear walls of the main and end sections will be visible through said apertures. The plate will thus be illuminated, so that the number thereon can be read as easily at night as'in the day time, while in the day-time the plate will have practically the same appearance as it had before it was perforated.

The single lamp thus serves for the red warning llght as well as for eflective illumination ofthe number plate. The same casing may also be readily adapted for number plates of diflerent lengths, so that new plates may be substituted for old ones, and each plate will be held in symmetrical relation with the red light, so t at each end numeral will be illuminated to the same extent.

In practice it is usual to provide bolt holes, or slots, in the number plates for the purpose of attaching the casing to the automobile and the same means of attachment are provided for the casing, but, as these slots destroy the reflecting surface of the back wall to an extent, the end casing is preferably rovided with semi-tubular shields 16, WhICh extend over the slots 17, which must be formed in the back side of the end sections, to permit the latter to slide past the attaching bolts, as indicated in Fig. 3, said shields beingcoated with the same refleeting material as the inner surfaces of the wall to which they are attached.

I claim 1. In combination with an automobile number plate having light transmitting apport the plate within the casing in position.

to close said opening, adjustable engaging means for each end of the plate for holding the plate in a middle position with relation to the casin a casing extension at the middle portion 0 one of the longer sides of the casing and opening to the interior thereof, 'said casing extension having an opening in its front side provided with -a light transmitting closure of suitable color, and. a lamp supported adjacent the middle of said casing in position to illuminate said closure and said rear wall.'

2. In combination with an automobile number plate having light transmitting apertures arranged accordin to the numerals thereof, a holder there or comprising a main casing having sections at each end arranged to telescope therein to vary the length of the entire casing according to the length of'the plate and means to lock said sections in' the position to which they are adjusted, said casing and end sections having light-reflecting rear walls and a front opening opposite said rear walls, means to support the plate in g osition to close said open ng and a lamp isposed adjacent the emiddle of said casing in position to illuminate said rear walls. 1

' 3. In combination with an automobile number plate having light transmitting apertures arranged according to the numerals thereof, a holder therefor comprising a main casing having sections at each end arranged to telescope therein, to vary the length'of the entire casing according to the length of the plate, and means to lock said sections in the position to'which they are adjusted, said casing and end sections having light-reflecting rear walls and a front opening opposite said rear walls and said end sections having platerceiving slots for holding the plate in position to close said opening, and a lamp arranged adjacent the middle of said casing in iposition to illuminate the real walls thereo In testimony whereof have signed my name to this specification.

, BENJAMIN F. FENDERSON. 

